Topic “Small group”  

Newspaper or children's paper or magazine

Large sheet of paper

Pens

Choose a page of a newspaper or children's paper, or cut out some stories from a newspaper. (You could also do this on line if you have access to a computer. It is very motivating for the children!)

Choose stories that will prompt discussion and are not simple right / wrong issues.

Put the main person in the story in a circle in the middle of a page. Draw lots of lines out of the circle, and think of different things the person could do. Have each child circle the one they think they would suggest . Help the children think about what will happen if the person takes their advice.

Cards to write situations on.

Paper

Pens

Short video clips from children's programmes

Alien puppet or picture.

Cards to write situations on.

Everyday situations at school and home.

LDA what's wrong social sequencing cards.

Paper or whiteboard

Pens

Describe and look for things and actions in story books and pictures.

pictures with paper clips attached, magnetic fishing rods, 'pond' e.g. a flat box

Put cards in the box, take turns to fish for a picture, say/sign what is fished out.

Eight picture cards, small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it

Pictures of everyday objects, background pictures (Black Sheep Sentence Builder and Narrative Packs have some good ones)

Pictures of everyday objects from class and outside. A blank jotter book

Pictures of everyday objects from class and outside

Optional - something to record the students responses on (e.g. paper/pen) which can later be used as a prompt;

Soft ball or beanbag.

1. Go round each student, asking them what their favourite food is - write it down and/or do a very rough sketch of it as you go;
2. One student has a ball, they choose another student and say the other student's name and what their favourite food is - for example "Tom - you like burgers". They then pass the ball to that student. Use the prompt card if necessary.

Optional - way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker

1. Go round each student in turn asking what they have done today - e.g. "what did you do this morning": ideally one or two things each.
2. Write and/or sketch something (very roughly!!) under each student's name on the sheet of paper (you can use this as a prompt later).
3. After all students have said something, pretend to have "forotten" what they'd said - ask individual students to remind you, for example "Karen, what did Abdul do?" - use the prompt sheet if necessary.

Optional - way of recording students responses - e.g. paper/pen, whiteboard/marker

Soft ball or beanbag

Laminated A3 sheet divided in half with a line, with an "I like" symbol on one side and an "I don’t like" symbol on the other side (symbols could be a smiley face and a sad face);

Assortment of pictures of food, animals, cartoon characters, games etc.;

Use Velcro or blue-tak to attach pictures to board.

You can also get picture symbols from the Commtap Symboliser.

1. Talk through the "I like/ I don’t like" board with the child. 
2. Start with a picture of food – as most children have clear ideas about what foods they like and dislike!
3. Choose a food picture and show the child, asking "X, do you like broccoli?" 
4. Attach the picture to the correct side of the board, depending on the child’s response.
5. Once the child has responded for 6-8 pictures, review the board. E.g “You like apples, chocolate and pasta, but you don’t like broccoli, oranges or ice-cream." 
6. Take the pictures off the board and support the child to ask another adult/ peer "Do you like..." questions.

Large plastic hoop.

Assortment of pictures of food, animals, cartoon characters, games etc. (if needed).

Cards showing a range of nouns and adjectives plus the words "the" and "is". DLTK's examples. (https://www.dltk-kids.com/)

Pencil and paper (optional)

1. Lay the word "is" on the table in front of the child. Put the word "the" to the left of this, with a gap in between them. Check that the child can read both words;

2. Put one of the noun cards into the gap between the words "the" and "is";

3. Put one of the adjective cards after the word "is";

4. Read the sentence to the child (e.g. "the monster is green");

5. Encourage the child to make up new sentences in the same manner. It doesn't matter if the sentences are silly;

6. You can use the paper to record the sentences made, or for the child to draw an appropriate picture on.

Feely bag containing a range of objects (choose objects appropriate for the children you are working with);

"is" cue card as previous activity.

Action toys

Action nursery rhymes

1. Use any toy which you need to post or press a key or push a part to make something happen e.g. rolling marbles down a kitchen roll holder, catching fish with a magnet and putting into a pond, press a button and the toy pops up. Set the toy up and take turns to have a go.

2. Play round and round the garden type games. Start the game and pause before the exciting end part and wait for the child to indicate he/she wants you to continue by the child looking at you or moving your hand to show he/she wants more.

Soft toys

Comfy bean bags and favourite book

Kitchen with everything appropriate for making a cup of tea. You don't need to have them out and ready though - finding the stuff can be part of the activity.

1. Sit in the kitchen at an empty table and say you want to make a cup of tea - but you don't know what to do (or have forgotten what to do);

2. See if the person suggests getting something - e.g. teabag or cup.

If the person suggests something, e.g. teabag, ask where you can find it. See if they can tell you - e.g. "cupboard" - but if not, give then some suggestions - e.g. "in the cupboard or in the fridge?" - have a look in the fridge if they suggest that.

If the person doesn't suggest anything, give a funny choice, e.g. shall I get a cup or a paint brush - if they suggest "paint brush", get one and then look really confused when you have it - see if they can correct you, or if there is not paint brush to find, look equally confused. Get a cup even if they don't prompt you to get one (as if you've suddenly remembered!)

3. As you go along, try to get the person to extend the language - but don't try to get them to repeat, also try to avoid asking leading questions (for example avoid asking "shall I stir the tea now?"). For example if you have a tea bag and a cup, and they say "cup", indicating that you put something in the cup, put something else in the cup - e.g. a pen. If they then say teabag, do something with the teabag - but don't put it in the cup. At this point they may try to put the two words together, e.g. "teabag...cup". If not, you can give them a choice. Try the following:

"teabag in the cup or pen in the cup" (you might get a response of "teabag" in which case put it somewhere - not in the cup);

or

"teabag in the cup or pen in the bag"

or

"pen in the bag or teabag in the cup" (easiest because the target phrase is last).

Whatever is required for the activity. Activities could include:

• Cleaning;
• Shopping;
• Cooking;
• Washing up;